Why Isn't Justin Bieber At The 2017 VMAs? The Pop Star Has Been Taking A Break

Where in the world is Justin Bieber? Well, the answer certainly isn't at the MTV Video Music Awards. Despite fans' high hopes, it appears that Bieber isn't at the 2017 VMAs, but, to be fair, hardly anyone should have expected him to be. After all, the pop star has been upfront about taking time to himself after abruptly canceling the rest of his tour, so a public appearance at the VMAs would be a pretty big move for him right now. Sure, the singer is nominated for "I'm The One" and "Cold Water." And, sure, the singer also just recently dropped a new song, "Friends." But have you actually seen Justin Bieber lately?

The last 15 dates of his Purpose Tour were canceled in July, with the pop star telling TMZ of the decision, "Sorry to anyone who feels disappointed or betrayed. It's not my heart or anything. Have a blessed day." He later posted a long, long letter to his fans on his Instagram, in which he wrote, "I've learned the more you appreciate your calling, the more you want to protect your calling. Me taking this time right now is me saying I want to be SUSTAINABLE." So it appears that Bieber's absence might just be more self-care on his part.

Yes, it's disappointing for Beliebers to not actually get to see their icon, but dragging the singer back into the public eye before he's ready helps no one — especially not him. And his career is hardly suffering from this personal desire to disengage from fame for a while. After all, "Friends" is doing amazing on the charts, and the merchandise from Bieber's tour is making its way to H&M so fans can still buy it. His career's not hurting, fans aren't hurting, so he deserves the time to rest so he, personally, is not hurting.

At the very least, his fans seem to be taking a humorous approach to his lack of appearances.

For now, all there is to do is to believe that all these missed appearances now lead to an amazing comeback and a sustainable career in Bieber's future.